This Georgian Cheese Bread is a soft yeast flatbread filled with a combo of creamy and delicious cheeses, topped with an egg, and baked. Also known as Khachapuri, this bread is a must-try for anyone who loves cheese.
Khachapuri always brings back childhood memories of seaside vacations in Crimea. The sea was warm, the beach was lively and we kids were always starving after hours of swimming.
Luckily local vendors always had a treat for hungry beachgoers and freshly baked khachapuri was one of them.
It's a comfort food that never disappoints.
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Why This Recipe Stands Out
We love a good bread recipe, and this one is absolutely exceptional. Here's why this recipe works:
- Easy to Make: The recipe is straightforward and easy to follow, whether you're an experienced baker or just starting out.
- Authentic Georgian Flavor: This recipe stays true to the authentic flavors and textures of traditional Georgian bread recipes. If you want to try bread from another foreign cuisine, check out our Ukrainian Easter Bread.
- Versatile: This bread is a great option for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or even dinner. It can be served as the main course or as a side dish. Our Blue Cheese Bread is also a great compliment to many other dishes.
- Perfect for Gatherings: This recipe makes 6 loaves, so it's perfect for sharing with friends and family.
- Affordable: The ingredients for this recipe are easy to find and relatively inexpensive, just like our other favorite Georgian recipes.
Key Ingredients
- Active Dry Yeast – This is what gives our dough its rise. It needs to be proof to ensure it’s active.
- Flour – We use all-purpose flour for this recipe. Make sure to sift it to avoid any lumps in the dough.
- Eggs – The eggs are used in the dough and also in the filling. They add structure and richness to the bread.
- Cheese – A combination of Mozzarella and Feta, Halloumi, or Sulguni cheese gives the bread a delicious, cheesy filling.
- Butter – We use melted butter to brush the top of the bread before baking, which gives it a golden crust.
Substitutions and Variations
This recipe is super versatile. Here are some of our favorite variation ideas:
- Cheese: Traditionally Khachapuri is made with either Imeretian cheese or Sulguni. I personally prefer making it with Sulguni. It's absolutely delicious cheese that has a pleasantly tangy, salty flavor with a slightly sour note and a chewy, stretchy texture. You can find Sulguni in any Eastern European grocery store. If you can’t find Sulguni, you can use a mix of mozzarella and feta cheese. You can also use halloumi cheese in place of feta. Feel free to experiment with other types of cheese as well.
- Herbs: We love the combination of parsley with the cheese filling, but you can definitely get creative with your herbs. Dill, chives, or even a pinch of dried oregano could add a nice flavor to the bread.
- Meat: While the original recipe is vegetarian, you can easily add some cooked, crumbled bacon or sausage to the cheese filling for a meaty twist.
How to Make Georgian Bread
Step 1: Dissolve yeast with warm water and sugar, let sit for 15-20 minutes until bubbly.
Step 2: In a mixer, combine water, milk, flour, salt, yeast mixture, and egg. Mix on low until combined, then cover and rest for 20 minutes.
Step 3: Mix on medium until dough no longer sticks to the bowl. Transfer to an oiled bowl, cover, and let rise for 1.5-2 hours.
Step 4: Knead dough lightly on a floured surface, then return to the bowl to rise until tripled (1-1.5 hours).
Step 5: Divide dough into 6 pieces, cover, and rest while preparing the filling.
Step 6: Mix Mozzarella, Feta, and water for filling. Preheat the oven to 450°F.
Step 7: Roll each dough piece into an 11-13 inch circle. Spread cheese mixture, leaving a 1-inch border. Roll and pinch opposite edges to form a boat shape.
Step 8: Fill the center with more cheese and transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough.
Step 9: Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Make an indentation, add an egg, and bake 5 more minutes until whites are set but yolks remain runny.
Step 10: Brush edges with butter, sprinkle with parsley, and serve immediately.
For full list of ingredients and instructions, see recipe card below.
What to Serve with Georgian Bread
Vegetables
- Georgian cuisine often features eggplant in various dishes, so a side of Eggplant Potato Stew would be a delicious addition to your khachapuri meal.
- If you're feeling adventurous, you can even try making traditional Georgian vegetable dishes like pkhali (a type of veggie pâté) or ajapsandali (a Georgian ratatouille) to serve alongside your khachapuri.
Soups
- Georgian cuisine includes a variety of hearty, flavorful soups that would make a great starter or side for khachapuri. Try a classic Georgian Red Bean Soup or a rich, meaty kharcho soup.
- If you're a fan of spicy food, consider making a Georgian-style hot sauce called adjika to serve with your khachapuri. This flavorful condiment can add a kick to your meal and is traditionally served with bread and cheese in Georgia.
Protein
- If you're serving khachapuri as a main course, you might want to add a protein dish to round out the meal. Grilled or roasted meats, such as Mustard Chicken, pork, or lamb, would all pair well with the rich, cheesy flavors of the bread.
Frequently Asked Questions
It's a traditional Georgian yeast flatbread filled with cheese and topped with egg. For this recipe most commonly used cheese is Sulguni, which is very tangy and moderately sour. It tastes amazing.
The dough should be elastic, smooth, and slightly sticky. It should not be dry or too wet. If the dough is too dry, add a little more water, one tablespoon at a time, until you reach the desired consistency. If it's too wet, add a little more flour, one tablespoon at a time.
The Khachapuri is done when the edges become golden brown and the egg white is no longer translucent but the yolk is still runny. This usually takes about 15-20 minutes for the initial baking and an additional 5 minutes after adding the egg.
Khachapuri is best enjoyed fresh, but if you have leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Recipe
Khachapuri (Georgian Flatbread)
Ingredients
To proof the yeast
- 3 tablespoons warm water 110-115 F
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
For the dough
- 5 ¼ cups all-purpose flour sifted
- 7 tablespoons milk
- 1 cup water
- 1 egg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil like avocado oil
For the filling:
- 2 cups Mozzarella cheese shredded
- 2 cups Feta Halloumi or Sulguni cheese, crumbled
- ½ cup water
- 6 eggs
- 2 tablespoons parsley chopped
- 3 tablespoons butter melted
Instructions
- In a small bowl, dissolve yeast with 3 tablespoons and 1 teaspoon of warm water, sugar and let it sit for 15-20 minutes until bubbly.
- In a bowl of Kitchen Aid add 1 cup of water, milk and mix with a whisk attachment. In the same bowl, add 4 ½ cups of flour, salt, yeast mixture and egg and mix the dough on the 1st speed until well combined.
- Cover the bowl with a plastic wrap and let it sit for 20 minutes.
- Turn on a second speed and mix the dough until it no longer sticks to the walls of the bowl.
- Lightly brush a bowl with a vegetable oil and place the dough to rise for 1.5 - 2 hours.
- After the dough has increased in size, remove it from the bowl, lightly oil your hands and on the lightly floured surface knead the dough a few times.
- Put the dough back into the bowl and leave it in a warm place until triples in size (about 1 - 1.30 hours).
- After the dough has tripled in size, divide it into 6 even pieces. Cover with a towel and leave it on a lightly floured working surface while you prepare the filling.
For the filling
- In a medium bowl combine Mozzarella, Feta and water. Mix well.
For assembling:
- Preheat the oven to 450 F.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out a piece of dough (1 out of 6 pieces) into a circle about 11-13 inches in diameter. Spread a thin layer of cheese mixture on Khachapuri leaving about 1 inch of space around the edges. (See the notes)
- Roll 2 opposite sides of Khachapuri towards the center and tightly pinch the corners.
- Add more cheese mixture in the center of Khachapuri so that it was fully stuffed with cheese.
- Transfer Khachapuri onto a parchment lined baking dish.
- Continue the process with the remaining pieces of the dough.
- Bake in a preheated oven for 15-20 minutes until edges became golden brown.
- Remove Khachapuri from the oven and with a back of a spoon make an indentation in a center of each flatbread.
- Carefully beat the egg and drop it into a well. Continue baking for another 5 minutes until egg white is no longer translucent but yolk is still runny.
- Remove from the oven, lightly brush the edges of Khachapuri with melted butter and sprinkle with chopped parsley.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
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Iryna Bychkiv is the founder and writer of the culinary website Lavender & Macarons, where she shares clean, European-inspired recipes that are delicious, easy to prepare, and made with wholesome ingredients. Iryna loves creating meals that are simple yet healthy and unique, including vegan and vegetarian recipes.
Iryna is also a freelance writer for MSN and Associated Press Wire.
Petro says
Delicious!
Carol says
Hi Iryna, I recently came across pide. I don't know if you ever heard of them or when they originated but I think this recipe is the same thing and I am wondering if you are familiar with them? If you are I am hoping you will tell me what the difference is, if there are any.
Also I want to make this recipe using instant yeast. I imagine I don't have to proof it, just add to the flour and the rest is the same?
I have been subscribed to your newsletters but have not received any for ages now and I am wondering why.
Iryna says
Hi Carol! Thank you for your comment! I've actually not heard about Pide. However, upon Googling the name, I noticed that it is a Turkish recipe. Khachapuri is a Georgian dish. They look very similar, however Pide has many different filling options whereas Khachapuri is always filled with just cheese and egg.
You can certainly make the Khachapuri dough with instant yeast. And yes, you don't have to proof the yeast if it's instant.
In terms of the newsletters, I apologize! I've been a bit busy with different projects; however, very soon I'll resume the newsletter series.
Rosie says
I want to try to make this but I don’t like feta cheese can I use Parmesan instead